Start Again Mary
by sometimesfairytalesdocometrue
Summary: Mary continued to talk, sighing in self-pity. "I wish I could go back to the day he first proposed and just say yes." She gasped as the room around her began to spin and a chair appeared underneath her. She stared at her lap as her black nightgown turned to chiffon and her hair was swept up into a style.


Mary had not left her room since she had been informed. She had not slept or eaten. She just let the tears flow.

He was gone.

Matthew, her beacon of hope, was dead.

He had left her with their child, a constant reminder of him.

There was a knock on the door and it opened, Anna entering. "Milady? I have tea and some sandwiches." The maid set the tray down. "You really should eat something milady."

"Did I do something wrong Anna?" Mary's voice was broken.

"Pardon milady?"

"Did I do something so terribly wrong that God felt it necessary to punish me in the worst way possible?"

"Oh milady." Anna stood next to the bed, resting a hand on her employer's shoulder.

"We wasted so much time. I wish I could go back with all I know now."

Anna rubbed her back before leaving the room.

Mary continued to talk, sighing in self-pity. "I wish I could go back to the day he first proposed and just say yes."

She gasped as the room around her began to spin and a chair appeared underneath her. She stared at her lap as her black nightgown turned to chiffon and her hair was swept up into a style.

"We can drink to Sybil's safe return."

She heard his voice and thought that she was simply remembering all over again. But then she raised her head and saw him sat in front of her. She knew how this conversation went.

"Why not? I'll ring for a glass."

"Oh, never mind that. Here." He passed her the glass and their fingers brushed as he did. Mary smiled at the remembrance of the feeling.

She had to fight to get out what she said next. "You're not very fastidious about doing things properly are you?"

"Are you?"

"Less than you might think."

They drank and Mary realised how much she missed him.

"Are you at all political?"

"Yes. But with a hung parliament, it's hard to get excited about a bi-election. You know nothing will change, whoever gets in."

They continued to chat before Mary made her point. "Thank you for coming to Sybil's rescue. You were very brave. She told me you knocked a man down."

"I hope I did my duty."

"Are you a creature of duty?"

"Not entirely."

"When you laugh with me or flirt with me, is that a duty? Are you conforming to the fitness of things? Doing what's expected?"

"Don't play with me. I don't deserve it. Not from you."

"You must be careful not to break Sybil's heart. I think she has a crush on you."

"Well that's something no one could accuse you of."

Her heart almost broke, it was so much more than a crush. "Oh, I don't know."

"I assume you speak in the spirit of mockery?"

"You should have more faith."

"Shall I remind you of some of the choicest remarks you made about me when I arrived here. Because they live in my memory as fresh as the day they were spoken."

She felt like crying, she had said horrible things to Matthew. "Oh Matthew, what am I always telling you? You must pay no attention to the things I say."

He leant towards her and Mary felt her heart skip beats. Their lips connected and she was home.

"Mary this may seem forward but I can think of absolutely nothing better at the moment."

Matthew stood up from his chair and took her hands before kneeling down in front of her. "Lady Mary Josephine Crawley, will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?"

Mary's eyes filled with tears and she nodded, wrapping her arms tightly around him. He stood, pulling her into his arms and spinning her around. She suddenly found that she couldn't remember the future and what had happened in it.

"I need to tell you something." She confessed everything about the Turk and he listened before taking her in his arms and kissing her. "You're not mad?"

"Oh my darling, no. I am not. My love for you overshadows any mistake."

"And mine as well."

"I should probably go." He smiled and took her hand as they walked to the front door.

"Do you want me to call Branson?"

"No, the poor fella's been through enough tonight. I'll walk."

"Alright. Be careful and come back soon."

She grinned and lent up, placing a kiss on his lips and then his cheek. He in turn kissed her forehead and hair before grinning and grabbing his coat.

"I'll be back in the morning darling."

"I'll be waiting." She blew him a kiss and he pretended to catch it.

Mary then headed up the stairs and towards her mother's room, excited to tell her the news.

"Is Matthew gone?" Cora asked as her eldest entered the room.

"Yes." Mary concentrated on shutting the door so her mother could not see her smirk.

"Thank the lord he was there. I hope you thanked Matthew properly."

Mary sat down on the bed, doing her best to hide her happiness. "I got them to make him some sandwiches."

Cora raised her eyebrows. "That's not quite what I meant."

Mary looked up. "And he asked me to marry him."

Her mother grinned. "Heavens, what did they put in them?"

The younger woman furrowed her eyebrows. "I'm serious. He proposed to me."

Cora's face lit up. "Oh my dear! Have you given him an answer?"

"I said yes."

"Oh darling!" The mother opened her arms to her daughter and Mary, feeling quite childlike climbed into them with a grin on her face.

"I told him."

"Really? How did he react?"

"He kissed me and told me that his love for me overshadows any mistakes I've made."

"Oh Mary, he's a good one."

"I know Mama, I know." She grinned and left just as her father walked in the room.

The next morning Mary practically ran down the stairs to find Matthew at the bottom. He looked up as she approached and his eyes lit up.

"Good morning darling." He smiled and took her hand, helping her down the last step.

"It certainly is." She smiled and stood on her toes to kiss his cheek.

"Is it mad to say I missed you?" He asked as they wandered towards the dining room.

"If so then we're both mad." She replied, giggling slightly.

"I missed you."

"I missed you too."

They grinned at each other before entering the dining room hand in hand.

Robert stood as they came in, rushing to shake Matthew's hand and hug Mary. Sybil followed suit, bouncing and hugging them both as she chattered away about how much she loved weddings.

Edith gave them a nod and verbally contacted her congratulations.

After breakfast they headed out to the bench under the tree which they had sat on many a time.

Matthew sat and as Mary made to do the same, he tugged on her arm. This caused her to fall onto his lap. He wrapped his arms around her waist and smiled, quite proud of himself.

"That was sneaky."

"I never said I wasn't."

"Hmm."

"So, when do you want to get married?" He asked, smiling at her.

"I would marry you tomorrow if our mothers wouldn't freak out."

Matthew chuckled. "Ok. How about in a month?"

"Hmm." She seemed to be in deep thought about something. "No that won't do. Three weeks or five weeks?"

"Why not a month?"

"There are some things a lady does not tell a man."

"Alright so three weeks. Cousin Cora will flip."

"I think she's happy we're getting married at all."


End file.
